The Woodburn Brewery Proves That There’s No Such Thing As Too Much Good Beer In Cincy

Dennis Chacón moved from Los Angeles to Cincinnati 12 years ago. And back then, Over-the-Rhine wasn’t a place to be, IPAs weren’t the cool thing to drink, and the Gomez Salsa "turtle" had yet to be something I craved at midnight on a Saturday.

But in time, everything would find its place.

Chacón, who had dreams of starting a brewery since 2005, would find a business partner in Chris Mitchell. He’d find a building (a really cool building, in fact), and he’d realize his vision of creating a premium tap room. Yes, the beer is premium, but Chacón wanted a premium tap room. It’s the place the wife or girlfriend is choosing for date night. (Perhaps it helps that Chacón’s wife designed the interior. Also, there's air conditioning.)

The Woodburn Brewery officially opened on August 26, 2016. It’s located in East Walnut Hills in a building that dates back to the early 1900s, first used as a movie theater and then a bank. And it likely went through a few other transformations before sitting vacant for the past 15 years. Of course, all it needed was a little dusting off. (Well, it needed more than "a little" dusting, but we don’t need to get into that.)

The beer! ... That’s what we’re here for. Chacón and Mitchell plan to go big with their production (a la MadTree and Rhinegeist). But before you see the Woodburn logo (which is a nod to fire, wood, and the phoenix rising from the ashes) on shelves at Kroger, you might have to visit them in person.

And those beers are just a mere taste of what’s coming (e.g. sours, barrel-aged, and plenty more).

Now while it might seem like everyone and their mother is opening up a brewery these days, it takes some real cajones to actually do it. So let’s raise a glass to Dennis and Chris. “As a proud member of the craft beer drinking population, thank you for your blood, sweat, and tears. We will do our best to honor your commitment by having you fill our glasses with another round of your delicious beer. Cheers!”

Sign up for our newsletter and event updates

Want all the latest on dining, fashion, travel, events, and more delivered straight to your inbox?
Subscribe to receive exclusive newsletters and special offers from Cincinnati Refined!
Enter your email address below to receive the latest updates.